Sessions testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday, where he faced intense questioning, primarily from Democrats, over his role in former FBI Director James Comey's firing last month and his past contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

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The attorney general came under intense scrutiny in February amid revelations that the former Trump campaign surrogate had met twice with Kislyak during Trump's campaign and failed to disclose the meetings to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee during his confirmation hearing in January.

As a result, Sessions recused himself from matters regarding the law enforcement probe into Russian election meddling and possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow.

But Sessions was among the officials whose recommendation Trump cited as justification for firing Comey last month, a move that prompted lawmakers to question whether the attorney general had stepped beyond the parameters of his recusal.

In his hearing on Tuesday, Sessions denied having violated the recusal but repeatedly declined to answer questions about his conversations with Trump, particularly regarding Comey's handling of the Russia investigation.